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Post by Jordanna on Jan 14, 2007 1:48:08 GMT -5
Sham scowled. "Fine... So what are we supposed to do? Just walk up to Tiernan's place with the stiff, and say we went and killed Proteus to keep Nocturne from stomping on us?"
"That's the general idea," Roger replied coolly.
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Post by skybright on Jan 14, 2007 1:52:13 GMT -5
Daws shrugged. "Tell Tiernan that Proteus tried to make a break for it, and you had to kill him to stop him escaping. Or tell him you had some sorta Spook trial and sentenced him to death for endangering all of you. Whatever you think he'll believe."
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Post by Jordanna on Jan 14, 2007 22:33:53 GMT -5
"Yeah. Sure." Sham folded his arms, glancing at the knot of Spooks who had begun to gather. "Looks like we're makin' a delivery to Mister Tiernan's. We're gonna tell his people this stiff is Proteus--and hope he believes it."
A couple of large men moved forward to pick up the sheet-wrapped body.
Roger looked at Daws. "I won't be going along with 'em, but Flash'll see to everything. What about you?"
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Post by skybright on Jan 14, 2007 22:41:58 GMT -5
Daws frowned thoughtfully and shrugged one shoulder. "Like Sid said -- there's a chance Tiernan will call me in, for whatever reason. I guess it's best I head for my office, just in case he does."
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Post by Jordanna on Jan 14, 2007 22:56:20 GMT -5
Roger shrugged. "Okay, I'll drop you off." He turned to Flash. "You know what to do, buddy."
The teleporter gave a smart salute. "We'll pull it off."
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Post by skybright on Jan 14, 2007 23:03:44 GMT -5
"Good luck." Daws shifted her glance to Sham. "To all of you."
She turned and followed Roger back to the battered station wagon, and from there the two made the short journey to Daws' office.
"Thanks, Rog." Daws said as she slipped out of the passenger seat. "Guess I'll be talking to you. Be careful out there, willya?"
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Post by Jordanna on Jan 14, 2007 23:16:59 GMT -5
"You bet." Roger grinned. "And tell Major Vance to take it easy. We're gonna do okay until he's fit for duty."
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Post by skybright on Jan 14, 2007 23:29:56 GMT -5
"Yeah, I'll tell him." Daws grinned lopsidedly. "No guarantees that he'll listen to me, mind ya -- but I'll tell him."
She waved as Roger pulled away and the station wagon disappeared around the corner -- and then pushed her fedora back with a sigh.
"Well," she muttered as she unlocked the office and let herself in, "One way or another -- now all that's left to do is wait."
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Post by Jordanna on Jan 14, 2007 23:51:07 GMT -5
The wait proved to be very short. Within twenty minutes, Tiernan's receptionist called, requesting Daws to come to the office. When she arrived there, she was escorted to the in-house clinic where she had once been treated after an unpleasant encounter with the police.
Tiernan was pacing there--and on the exam table behind him lay a still form covered by a sheet.
"The Spooks claim to have delivered," he announced, gesturing to the table. "As you've had some contact with them, I want you to tell me if you've ever seen this man alive."
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Post by skybright on Jan 15, 2007 0:01:57 GMT -5
Daws frowned thoughtfully as she pulled back the sheet and made a show of examining the body beneath it. At length, she let the sheet drop and took a step back.
"He looks familiar, yeah. Not that I was exactly an honored Spooktown guest or anything -- but I think I remember seeing him."
Here's hoping that's the right answer . . .
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Post by Jordanna on Jan 15, 2007 0:06:12 GMT -5
Tiernan frowned very slightly. "Hmm."
He waved a hand. "That's all I needed from you. My people will perform further tests on the body. As for the Spooks, for the moment, they have the benefit of the doubt."
His expression darkened slightly. "But if they're attempting a trick..."
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Post by skybright on Jan 15, 2007 0:13:47 GMT -5
"Then they're stupider than I took 'em for." Daws replied, feeling her heart sink slightly. And we're all in a world of trouble . . .
She turned on her heel and headed for the door. "I'll be seeing you, Mister Tiernan."
Within a short time, Daws had returned to her office. She took the time to listen to the other messages on her machine, check her mail, and go through a few of the other motions of running a detective agency -- and then she dialed Sid's number at the Paragon.
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Post by Jordanna on Jan 15, 2007 0:49:04 GMT -5
When Sid was notified of the call by Marty, it took him a few minutes to extricate himself from the early evening's herd of arriving VIPs. At last he made it to his office and picked up the phone.
"Sidney Rosenstein speakin'."
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Post by skybright on Jan 15, 2007 0:52:26 GMT -5
"Gosh, you sound so professional." Daws said lightly, leaning back in her office chair.
"Just thought I'd let you know I'd seen Tiernan. He's buying it -- for now. But he's gonna have his boys run some more tests on the body, and after that . . ." She shrugged.
"Anyways, it's gone okay so far."
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Post by Jordanna on Jan 15, 2007 1:03:56 GMT -5
"Huh. I'm still a little worried." Sid's frown made itself audible over the phone. "Ya think ya better warn the Spooks there might still be trouble, if Tiernan ain't satisfied with the tests?"
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Post by skybright on Jan 15, 2007 1:10:38 GMT -5
"Yeah." Daws sighed. "I'm hoping against hope that he will be -- but it's better to warn them, anyway, I guess."
She shrugged. "Suppose I'll head over there now -- no sense putting it off. The more time they've got to think about putting a plan B together, the better."
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Post by Jordanna on Jan 15, 2007 1:23:37 GMT -5
"Just as long as that 'plan B' don't involve sellin' out any of us or Proteus," Sid murmured darkly.
"Listen, I think I can get outta here in about an hour, once I've seen all tonight's VIP cuckoos to their perches. You want me ta pick you up outside of Spooktown?"
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Post by skybright on Jan 15, 2007 1:29:05 GMT -5
"Sure thing." Daws replied. "I'll be waiting. Don't let the stuffed shirts get to ya."
She hung up the phone and -- after a moment's hesitation -- slid open the desk drawer and fished out extra ammunition for her pistol. Between the Spooks and Tiernan, it never hurt to be too careful.
That task accomplished, she shut off the lights, locked up the office, and once again set out for Spooktown.
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Post by Jordanna on Jan 15, 2007 1:42:13 GMT -5
When Daws arrived at Spooktown, Flash and his two compatriots were still there, guardedly but civilly discussing the handoff of the body.
"Hey, Miss Dawson," Flash greeted the detective. "Things went okay. Tiernan's people took the body, alright--though I don't know what they might do with it now."
"I still don't think Tiernan's gonna buy it," Sham muttered blackly.
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Post by skybright on Jan 15, 2007 1:48:01 GMT -5
"He might -- or he might not." Daws replied evenly. "I've just seen him -- he's gonna have his people run tests on the body. What that's gonna entail, and what it might turn up, I dunno. We could be in the clear -- or not."
She frowned. "Which leads me to think it might not be a bad idea to have a contingency plan if we're not."
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